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Session 1 Introduction In this session, which is based on the presentation (click here), we set out the rationale for Deaf bilingualism. It is relatively simple. despite almost 200 years of exclusive oralism, Deaf children, young people and adults, seem to be intent on learning and using sign language. Despite their continued presence in a hearing speaking society, they struggle to master the spoken and written language. Only in the last thirty years has there been evidence on which we can base our pessimistic assessment of the products of Deaf education. And even then, educationalist continue to insist that things are changing and if only, the conditions were applied more rigorously, then Deaf children could be fully functioning speaking members of society. Deaf people want to be speaking, literate and fully functioning members of society (Allsop & Kyle, 1982, BATOD journal) but they wish to do so alongside recognition of their own language. In effect, they wish to be bilingual. This introduction sets the scene for such a development and asks the question how can we achieve bilingual performance among Deaf people. |
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